traditionalist tra • di’ • tion • al • ist: One who adheres to traditional views.

If you were so inclined to look up the definition of the word “traditionalist” you would probably see a photo of Shihan Robert Bessler. Recently, I had the honor of spending the morning with Shihan Bessler at his dojo in Kalamazoo, Michigan, called the “West Michigan Budokan.” Sensei Bessler’s lineage looks like something out of a movie. But unlike movies, and most people these days, his lineage is authentic and verifiable. Check this out: Shihan Bessler has been training for 18 years in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu/Ninjutsu. He began his training with Stephen K. Hayes at the Famous Barn Dojo in Germantown, Ohio. As a side note, Shihan Bessler used to drive 5 hours one way just to train there, and he did it for many years. He also drove 2 hours each way three times a week (every week) for over 7 years to train with Hayes’ senior teacher in Michigan. At that time he was a Kasumi-An Instructors Guild Member. Currently he travels to Japan twice each year (as he has done for the past 10 years) to train directly with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi and the Japanese Shihan where he is a Shidoshi-Kai Instructors Guild Member under Hatsumi Soke.

Shihan Bessler trains in Budo Taijutsu, which is a combination of all of the schools of the Bujinkan. He also studies each of the schools individually as well. He was awarded the rank of Godan at the Hombu Dojo in Japan–passing the Sakki-Test the first time. He was also awarded the rank of Judan (10th Degree Black Belt) in May of 2006 in the nine schools of the Bujinkan: Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu, Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo, Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu, Kukishinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu, Togakure Ryu NinpoTaijutsu, Giken Ryu Koppojutsu, Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu, and Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo.

He trains in specific schools of the Samurai as well and has 5 years experience in the various arts of the Enbukan Enshin Ryu. Currently he is a personal student of Soke Kenshinsai Machida and considered to be a special “Jikidedshi,” the only student to be accepted into the “inner family” system called Shinbu Ryu Sogo Budo. The Enshin Ryu is the more recent name for the basic system under which students train.

As I mentioned earlier, twice each year for 2 weeks each visit, Shihan Bessler travels to Japan for direct training with both of the Grandmasters where they train for up to 14 hours each day. He is invited to live with Soke Machida and stay in the Shingon Buddhist Temple during this time. Some well known Koryu hobbyists have stated that they do not believe it is possible to learn many systems at one time, yet it was done by ancient warriors and is still done today by many Japanese Grandmasters. Shihan Bessler feels that it is possible to train in many systems and develop them individually and correctly if you are very experienced in a couple arts having already established a strong foundation and knowledge of the principles, and actually devote enough time and energy to the training. It must be a way of life. Most people today are mere hobbyists, where Shihan Bessler has devoted the last 20 years of his life entirely to learning the martial arts. All vacations have been for training purposes and all other interests were set aside. This level of dedication may be a large key to his success.

He has received special teaching certificates for the Takeda-ha Aiki-no-Jutsu and Kashima Shinden Jigen Ryu Battojutsu. Soke Machida shares many arts with him as well, which include Enshin Itto Ryu Battojutsu, Kashima Shinden Jigen Ryu Battojutsu, Fudo Ikken Ryu Battojutsu, Mugai Ryu Kodachi, Takeda-ha Aiki-no-Jutsu, Asayama Ichiden Ryu Jujutsu, Yagyu Shingan Ryu Hei-Jutsu, and Yagyu Shingan Ryu-Bojutsu. Each of which Shihan Bessler had to vow to keep intact as individual arts.

Now that’s a lineage.

We also discussed the state of the martial arts today. The following thoughts are what I took away from our conversation. Shihan expressed disappointment with loss of tradition, not just here, but in Japan as well. Everywhere you look people are trying to blaze their own path in this world, which is fine, but they are doing it at the expense of the tradition that has brought this world to them, and that is not acceptable. We absolutely cannot disrespect and dishonor those who have come before us and given their lives to the arts we hold so dear. “After every class I teach I look at the photo of my teacher on the kamiza and think, I hope that class made you proud Sensei. I try to teach with the feeling that my teachers and the ancestors of these arts are standing there watching every class.”

Martial arts practitioners must regain those things necessary for the proper mindset for learning true martial arts. Respect, loyalty, honor, truthfulness, patience, trust, and perseverance, these are qualities that the budoka must possess. As is the desire to train hard and earn everything you get, budo practitioners must understand that there are no short cuts, no easy way, only a lot of hard work. “I know some very skilled and authentic teachers (including a Shaolin Grandmaster) who will no longer teach martial arts in the West because of the ego driven disrespect of today’s students. This is very sad because these are great teachers with a great deal to offer. We must keep in mind that Grandmasters and Masters owe us nothing; we must prove that we deserve to be taught by these great men and women in their outstanding martial arts and then always remember to hold that gratitude in our hearts.”

The traditional martial artist is an endangered species. This by default means that the traditional martial arts as a whole are in danger of disappearing too. Our martial arts ancestors have entrusted us with the survival of the arts. We must preserve the teachings of its founders for our children’s children. Because if we do not, then what will be left over is nothing but a bunch of watered down physical techniques. A great amount of knowledge is being lost and high-level skills are being dismissed as myths simply because they require so much effort to attain. We cannot allow valuable concepts like Shoshin, Zanshin, Magakoro and Mushin to fade into obscurity. The truth is the martial arts lives in the heart, soul, and spirit of those who embrace it. Not in the fists. Not in the wallet. We live in a fast paced I want it all right now society. Unfortunately, the martial arts are not immune to this phenomenon. Many people are going to the dojo that offers the fastest, easiest path to a black belt, and then calling themselves martial artists. It is the responsibility of the teachers to maintain a high standard of teaching/learning and not give in to the almighty dollar.

Shihan Bessler gave me an example of his knowledge and skill by sharing a very important aspect of Japanese martial arts. The unarmed Japanese martial arts methods were derived from sword techniques. In order to understand these unarmed techniques, one must grasp the use of the traditional samurai sword as these methods came first. The proper grip of the sword shows us many things; it actually holds the use of both the inner and outer sword hands (ura shuto and omote shuto) as well as the wrist reversal grappling techniques of ura gyaku and omote gyaku. The cutting methods show us how to properly strike with the ura shuto and omote shuto and also hold the application of hidden locks and throws (as seen in the Takeda-ha Aiki-no-Jutsu techniques). This can also be seen in the fact that most punching attacks of today’s techniques were actually thrusting and cutting attacks with a tanto (knife), kodachi (short sword) or katana (long sword). In addition, the shoulders must be relaxed in order to display proper form in swordsmanship. It is the same with the hand strikes and in the application of grappling techniques. There are many such details, which are the same. It is within this form of training that the true meaning and skill of muto dori (no sword capture) can be developed. Muto dori are the higher-level methods of many Japanese systems. It is at this level that one understands that striking, grappling and the sword are the same. This is also the reason that training in an authentic sword system is so important. Even more important, it must be a system that still actively teaches the usable fighting skills of the sword otherwise the effectiveness is lost as is the proper understanding. Although great arts, modern sword arts do not provide this. Modern Iaido and Aikiken are primarily for spiritual and movement refinement and Kendo is for sport and personal refinement.

“We must remember that the martial arts were developed for combat, living and dying, not trophies and belts. Both Hatsumi Soke and Machida Soke stress that they are not teaching martial arts, but arts of combat survival.“ There is a very big difference between the modern sport martial arts and the survival martial arts. Today the term “martial arts” brings to mind dressing up in padded equipment and bouncing around yelling with throated kiai or wearing flashy Hollywood type outfits and doing flips and spinning toy weapons. They are seldom taken seriously or respected by the general public. “The true martial arts (combat survival arts) were designed to cause injury or death. They were used only to keep one alive or protect others. It is not about violence, it is about survival. It is about knowing how to live.”

For training and seminars, Shihan Bessler can be reached by phone (269) 349-3676 or by email nintrad999@aol.com